Collide

She strolled into work just like every other day. Walking through the crowded triage and past the admin desk packed with staff and friends, but no one seemed to see her. She crawled into the doctor's lounge, while the feeling of loneliness overwhelmed her, then collapsed on the couch. This was the beginning of what would be a very long and terrible day.
Half way through pouring her first cup of coffee, Malik bursted into the lounge.
"Abby! Accident on the El. 27 victims! 19 criticals! We need you!"
A discrete sigh of exhaustion passed through Abby's face as she staggered towards the door. The second she left the safety of the lounge, 27 gurneys were all around her.
"What happened!" she asked in disbelief.
"Head on collision on the El… don't know how! 83 vics! 22 DOA. 34 went to Mercy. 27 are here… 19 critical 8 severely injured." Sam ranted as quickly as she could all in one breath.
Collision on the El… Abby thought. 15 minutes after I got off of it… I should've been late to work today…Getting a little behind the line of dozens of gurneys, Kerry shouted orders at Abby.
"They need you in Trauma 1, Abby! This isn't a show, so don't watch it! Either help or go home!"
Help or go home. The words lingered in her mind. Home didn't sound so bad right about now.. but home was the second to last place she wanted to be. The last place was here. She ran into Trauma 1 and heard Carter giving the current diagnosis.
"Susan, he was crushed! He obviously has a broken neck! You can't take off the collar! You could paralyze him!"
"I think he'd rather be paralyzed than be dead! He needs an airway and he's not going to get it by us fighting about it!" Susan ripped off the collar and prepared for an intubation.
"Do you guys need a hand?" Abby's comment received no replies or even the acknowledgment of her presence.
"Oh crap!" Susan's face was proof she did something wrong.
"What! What'd you do?" Carter was either anxious to save his patient or anxious to prove himself right to Susan.
"Grey matter…"
"We should've done a femoral cut-down, or a tracheotomy!"
Mission accomplished. Carter had proved himself right.
Abby suddenly diverted her attention from the ongoing battle to the monitor.
"V-Tach!" No answers to Abby's obviously silent remark
"Flatline!" Again no reply. The brawl went on and Abby took initiative and charged the paddles.
"Charge to 300. Clear. No change. Charge to 350. Clear. Nothing. 350 again. Clear."
At this point Carter and Susan realized Abby abducting their patient. Susan started compressions and marked the time. 7:43 am.

"Try again… 400. Clear. Round of high dose epi!" Abby was desperate.
"He's maxed out." Susan had a look of misery on her face.
"What are you doing? Resume compressions! Charge to 450. Clear." Abby's face was painful to watch.
"Abby… ABBY! You've been going at it for 47 minutes! Let it go. He's gone!" Susan hated doing it, but Abby's pain was starting to hurt her.
"This is all your fault! If you hadn't been so afraid to do a femoral cut-down or tracheotomy like Carter suggested he wouldn't be dead! Why can't you just listen!" Abby couldn't control herself. She ran out of the room in complete anger.